Gerb Schematic

GERB, an acronym for Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (), is a conservative center-right populist political party which was the ruling party of Bulgaria during the periods between 2009–2013, 2014-2021, 2025-present and was supporting the Denkov government between 2023-2024.

History

GERB is headed by former Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov, the former mayor of Sofia, former member of the National Movement Simeon II and former personal guard of Todor Zhivkov in the 1990s. The establishment of the party followed the creation of a non-profit organization with the acronym (in Bulgarian) GERB — ''Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria'', earlier the same year.

In early January 2007, and early February 2007, the party came second in public polls on party support with around 14%, trailing the Bulgarian Socialist Party which had around 25%. Its stated priorities are fighting crime and corruption, preserving family as the cornerstone of society and achieving energy independence.

GERB won the 2009 European Parliament election in Bulgaria with 24.36% of the vote. The party elected five MEPs and joined the European People's Party Group in the European Parliament (in the EPP section). On June 6, 2007, GERB applied formally to join as a member-party the European People's Party and joined EPP on February 7, 2008.

GERB won the 2009 parliamentary elections, held a month after the European ballot, winning 39.7% of the popular vote and 116 seats (out of 240). After the elections, a new government was formed, led by Borisov, primarily with GERB members and with 5 independent ministers around Deputy Prime Minister Simeon Djankov. The reformist wing was responsible for some of the most significant legislative victories, including a Constitutional reform to ban tax increases. GERB's candidates for the 2011 presidential election, Rosen Plevneliev and Margarita Popova (presidential nominee and running mate, respectively), won the elections on the second ballot with 52.6% of the popular vote.

On February 20, 2013, the government resigned after nationwide protests demanding it to step down. GERB remained the largest party after the 2013 parliamentary elections with 97 seats, receiving 30.5% of the popular vote. GERB failed to create governing coalition and went to opposition, when other parties supported the Oresharski government. However, due to the collapse of the coalition government in 2014 due to a new, even bigger wave of mass protests, GERB backed into power after the snap elections. GERB formed the second Borisov government with the Reformist Bloc and ABV with the support of the Patriotic Front. GERB's candidates for the 2016 presidential election, Tsetska Tsacheva and Plamen Manushev (presidential nominee and running mate, respectively), lost on the second round with 36.16%, while the opponent Rumen Radev won 59.37% of the votes and became President. After the election, Borisov resigned and the country headed for new elections. On the 2017 parliamentary election, GERB came first once again, winning 33.5% from the vote and 95 seats. He formed the Third Borisov government with the United Patriots. The government was also supported by Volya.

In 2020 GERB suffered a split, as a sizable number of members and local party organizations left alongside former second-in-command Tsvetan Tsvetanov to form the Republicans for Bulgaria party. The whole second half of 2020 saw mass protests against the GERB government, but nevertheless, Borisov did not resign.

In the April 2021 parliamentary election GERB was first with 26.18% of the vote. However, any attempts to form a coalition failed. In the July 2021 snap election, former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's GERB-led coalition came second for first time since the creation of the party, with 23.51 percent of the vote. The next snap election was in November same year, Kiril Petkov's coalition emerged as surprise victors over the conservative GERB party, which dominated Bulgarian politics in the last decade. GERB has been in opposition since December 2021 until June 2022 - the fall of Petkov's government. After the 2022 election, government was not formed. After the 2023 election, GERB came first with a little margin over the PP-DB coalition, which came second. PP-DB and GERB formed the Denkov government, but GERB had very few ministers. In March 2024, a so called "rotation" of the government was planned, but the negotiations failed. GERB came first on the June 2024 election and October 2024 election. In January 2025, GERB formed the Zhelyazkov government with BSP, ITN and outside support from APS.

List of chairmen

Parliamentary leaders

Election results

National Assembly

Presidential

European Parliament

References

External links

Official website

{{Authority control

Political parties established in 2006
2006 establishments in Bulgaria
Conservative parties